Singapore Staycation Spotlight Valentine’s Edition: One Farrer Hotel & Spa
PUBLISHED February 4th, 2018 06:00 am | UPDATED March 28th, 2019 11:18 am
It’s not all the time that you get to enjoy five meals a day – that is unless you’re staying at the One Farrer Hotel & Spa in Singapore. Not such a bad way to celebrate this month of love with your partner, don’t you think? The property, located on the outskirts of the city, is rarely considered as one of those places you need to do a staycation at. Though having had the privilege to stay here for a weekend, I must say otherwise. It is, after all, a five-star quality hotel, and a rather special one at that.
The space
One Farrer is what I would call a luxury urban resort. For what it lacks in terms of a quiet location (being in the centre of the busy Farrer Park district), it makes up for with outstanding hospitality and resort-style offerings. Embodying the concept of a ‘hotel within a hotel’, the 243 rooms here are divided into three distinct entities: the regular Urban Hotel; trendy Loft Apartments; and the more premium Skyline Hotel & Sky Villas.
The Skyline Hotel
Our king-sized bedroom Skyline Studio is, as the name suggests, part of the Skyline section of the hotel on the 18th to 20th floor. Paying more affords you much more privacy than the usual guest – for one, you get an exclusive reception area with a 24-hour team ready to attend to your needs. The communal corridor and lounge is tastefully decorated with clear oriental influences, and art lovers will appreciate the multitude of works strategically placed around the space.
And that’s not where it stops. We enter our large studio room to find two sculpture pieces hanging on the walls, and it’s safe to assume there are plenty more in the other rooms. It’s stylishly appointed with earth-toned furnishings – grey patterned carpeting, a brown armchair next to a marble top coffee table, and a leather couch that seamlessly extends from the foot of the bed (feel free to order pillows from the pillow menu). Recessed lighting from the walls adds a welcome note of personality.
Look out the floor-to-ceiling window and you’re greeted by lovely views of the cityscape, and depending on which side you’re facing, you might see the hotel’s Olympic-sized swimming pool down below. There is a 55-inch Samsung Smart TV where you can order room service, do some shopping from the hotel shop, and you know, watch TV.
But don’t take too long on the thing, because you’ll want to spend more time at the exclusive Skyline Lounge on Level 18, where privileges include fresh breakfast, sandwiches and snacks, afternoon snacks, evening cocktails (with more goodies), and savouries and sweets after dinnertime. As a matter of fact, you can go the entire day without leaving your floor, since other perks also include a private Skyline 24-hour gym and swimming pool.
Spa Retreat
Grab your partner and make your way to the award-winning Spa Retreat (Singapore’s Best Hotel Spa 2017 in World Spa Awards 2017), where their five-star service eclipses the generic ones you’d find around town. The variety of treatments here include aromatherapy facials, a deep-cleansing men’s ritual, and an assortment of massages that combine European and Asian techniques.
We opted for a 30-minute body scrub followed by a 60-minute couple’s relaxation massage – which basically means you and your partner are side-by-side in the same room. But first, you will be seated in a cosy consultation room to fill up a form that details our medical history, skin condition, sensitive spots, and the like. Want to spend your entire hour focus on your neck, back, or legs? No problem. Needless to say, the experience was extraordinary.
It’s also worth noting that all hotel guests have complimentary access to the Japanese-style onsen mineral pool, sauna, and steam room facilities on Level 6, separated into male and female sections. And boy, are they invigorating.
One Farrer Hotel & Spa is located at 1 Farrer Park Station Rd, Singapore 217562. Room rates start from $320++. For reservations and enquiries, please call +65 6705 7856 or email to [email protected].
From now to 28 February 2018, One Farrer Hotel & Spa is offering an indulgent Valentine’s Day Spa Retreat experience priced at $468 nett for two persons. The three-hour long ‘Love is Divine’ package starts with a 60-minute free-and-easy slot to enjoy spa facilities such as the sauna, steam room, and onsen garden, followed by a soothing 30-minute Frankincense Bath and relaxing 90 minutes Stress Relief Massage.
